Culture wars, Nebraska edition

6/5/12 2:53 PM EDT

Former Sen. Bob Kerrey, who recently returned to Nebraska to run for the open Senate seat there, has been whacked around quite a bit by Republicans for his Greenwich Village years.

Today, however, the Democrat saw his own opportunity and took it, knocking GOP nominee Deb Fischer for expressing coastal values with an appearance at a fancy Washington, D.C., fundraiser.

From the headline of the Kerrey campaign news release:

State Senator Deb Fischer Having Quiche and Mimosas with her Washington Benefactors Today; Bob Kerrey to Speak Tonight at Boys and Girls State.

While the slap won't do anything to dampen the GOP enthusiasm for painting the former senator as a carpetbagger, at least it's a signal that the Kerrey camp understands the value of winning small battles in the culture wars.